Washington Wizards guard Delon Wright (55) in action during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, in Washington.
Nick Wass, AP
Delon Wright will soon be playing for his eighth NBA team.
Wright officially signed with the Miami Heat Sunday, after having his contract bought out by the Washington Wizards and then being placed on waivers.
The former University of Utah standout had been with the Wizards for the last season and half, as part of an NBA journey that has seen him play for the Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Piston, Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks since he was drafted in the first round (No. 20) of the 2015 draft.
A nine-year vet, Wright has played in 494 career games, starting 84 games, and holds career averages of 7.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.22 steals in 20.8 minutes per game, while shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 80.5 percent from the foul line.
An All-American at Utah, Wright was projected to be a stout NBA defender by Draft Express.
“Wright’s best attribute from a NBA standpoint is likely his defense. He has quick feet, excellent instincts and a scrappy nature, putting outstanding pressure on the ball,” Jonathan Givony wrote. “His instincts for getting in the passing lanes and overall timing for making plays off the ball is extraordinary, helping him average an outstanding 2.6 steals per-40 minutes pace adjusted in his two seasons at Utah, with a ton of blocks and rebounds thrown in for good measure.
“Wright’s anticipation skills are off the charts, and he does it without gambling in the passing lanes excessively, but rather by simply sniffing out when to help out teammates, and when to make a reflexive play as a sort of free safety. He’s big enough to guard either backcourt spot, which gives his team coveted positional flexibility that is very much in demand in today’s NBA.”
Those projections proved prescient as Wright has totaled 337 steals off the bench since 2018-19, the second-most by any NBA reserve in that time. He averaged 1.84 steals per game last season, the second-most in the NBA, and he had 18 games with at least three steals, the fourth-most in the league. This season, while playing just 13.8 minutes per game, Wright has recorded nine multi-steal games.
It is Wright’s defensive prowess and versatility — he is listed at 6-foot-5, 185 pounds — that reportedly appealed to Miami, as well as his ability to man the point guard position, while Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson recover from injury.
“The Heat are in desperate need of more ball-handling as they navigate injuries to starting point guard Terry Rozier and key reserve Josh Richardson,” All You Can Heat’s Wes Goldberg writes. “It’s unclear when either will return to the lineup, as Rozier recovers from a right knee sprain and Richardson works his way back from a dislocated right shoulder.
“Wright’s job will be to take care of the ball, make open 3s and provide steady defense. With Miami’s injuries, he’ll join a backcourt of Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and recently promoted Alondes Williams. Wright should see plenty of playing time – and could even start – while Rozier and Richardson are out and provide much-needed depth in the event of future injuries.”
Wright does have familial ties to the Heat. His older brother Dorell Wright was drafted by the Heat in the first round (19th overall) of the 2004 Draft and he was a member of Miami’s 2006 title-winning team.